o brien



(No Model.) Q V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. OBRIEN.

TRIGYGLE.

No. 287,566. Patented Oct. 30., 1883.

" UNITED; STATES THOMAS OBRIEN, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

TRICYCILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 287,566, dated October30, 1883.

' l o Application filed March 15,1883. (X0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS OBRVIEN, of,

the city and State of New York, have invented an Improvement inVelocipedes, of which the following is aspecification.

This device I term a pendulous-seat tricycle, and in it I make use ofseats for two persons, the said seats being suspended, so as to beswung, and from these there are connectingrods to the driving-cranks. Ialso provide means for bringing the power of the feet and hands intoaction in swinging the seats, and I employ a steering-wheel to guide theapparatus, and sometimes a third seat is combined with the pendulousseat, so that a person can drive the tricycle alone .or aid in itspropulsion. This allows for three or more persons enjoying a ridetogether and for obtaining the exhilarating effect of the swingingmovement as well as that from propulsion.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view with part of the upper frameremoved. Fig. 2 is a side view, with one wheel and the side frameremoved, at the line 00 w,- and Fig. 3 is a detached view, in largersize, of the crankshaft and treadle-bars.

The driving-wheels a a are upon an axle, b, and there are springs 1)between the said axle and a frame, a c, that is connected with the frame6?, and extends forward and'supports the propelling crank-shaft d, andit also is provided with front bearings, c c, for the vertical pivot eof the steering-wheel c. I The crank-shaft d has upon it a pulley orband-wheel, f, with a band or chain, 2, to the wheel g upon the axle I).These wheels f and g may be of any desired relative size. The frontwheel, f, will usually be the largest, so that the wheel 9 and axle bwill revolve the fastest.

At the end of the crank-shaft (i there are cranks h. They are preferablycrank -pins projecting from the wheels h, that form flywheels to thecrank-shaft d.

Above the axle b the frame a c is supported by the springs b, andprovided with a top frame, 0, that may have upon it an awning or cover,to protect the parties riding in the hanging seats Z Z.

The frame is provided with pivots for the suspension-bars 13 1", whichare pivoted at their lower ends to the platforms a, there being four ofthese suspension-bars to each platform, so v that the platform willremain level,,or nearly so, as it is swung vback and forth. Upon these.

platforms there are the chairs or seats Z Z, and below the platforms theconnecting-rods 0 0 "to the crank-pins h h are pivoted, so that the theperson can step upon the cross-bar orspring o and'upon either platform.

In order to allow the occupants of the seat the opportunity to exert thestrength of 'the' hands or feet, I employ a cross-bar, p, with chains orcords p, which can be pulled upon by the occupants of the swings as theygo for ward; or such chains may be attached to leverhandles 1;, that arepivoted at 15 between the suspending-bars i i, and there is a footpiece,

6, to each pair of lever-handles, so that the same can be pushed 'uponby the feet as the upper end of the handle and thechain are drawn uponin propelling the machine.

At the upper end of the pivot of the steering-wheel there is a groovedwheel, q, and steering cords or chains passing back in any convenientmanner, so as to be operated upon by the-parties riding in the-velocipede. I have, however, shown a saddle, r, for a third rider, infront ofwhom is a wheel, 1', with cords or chains to the wheel q, thesame passing around the guide-wheels s, and being fastened,respectively, to the said wheels qand r, and to the wheel 1" alever-handle, 5, is applied, so that a person seated upon the saddle rcan turn the wheel 1 and steer thetricycle in any desired direction.

When the seat 1' is provided, it is usual to employ cranks a s on thecrank-shaft d, between the fly-wheels h h and the central bandwheel, f,and to connect with those cranks s the treadle-bars t, to therea-r endsof which there are links 1;, and there are foot pieces or bearings uponthese treadle-bars, sothat the person who is seated upon the saddle rmay propel the tricycle himself alone, by his feet acting upon thebearing-pieces, treadle-bars,

and cranks to revolve the shaft and the axle b,- or the vehicle may bepropelled by thejoint 5 action of all three parties upon the respectivecranks.

This tricycle is adapted to parks, boulevards, and roads, and affordsahealthful exercise in which two or three persons can participate.

I do not claim a rocking seat and a connection to a crank, as this hasbeen used.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with the wheels to a,steering-wheel c, and frame-work, of the seats I Z, and suspending rodsbetween the seat and frame, a crank-shaft, and connection from thependulous seats to the cranks h 71, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the wheels a a, axle I), steering-wheel e, andframe-work, of the seats Z Z, the suspending-bars for the same, thecrank-shaft, fly-wheels h h, and connecting-rods to the platforms of thependulous 25 seats, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the wheels a a, the axle, steering-wheel, andframe-work, of the crank-shaft, the wheels f and g and connecting-belt,the seat 1', and treadles connected with the cranks of the shaft,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the wheels at a, axle b, steering-wheel e, andits actuating mechanism, of the pendulous seats Z Z, the cross-bar p andcords or chains, the crankshaft d, the wheels f and g, and belt 2,substantially as specified.

5. In combination with the tricycle, one or more pendulous seats andconnections to the driving-shaft, substantially as set forth, wherebythe tricycle is propelled by the swinging movement of the pendulousseats.

Signed by me this 14th day of March, A. D. 1883.

THOMAS O BRIEN.

Vitnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, CHAS. H. SMITH.

